Release Notes for TX Modular system
Release 081 (Aug 2010)
Main changes in this release:
New Signal Flow window - this
window is designed to make it easier to see how a whole system works. It shows
how audio and control signals flow around the system between modules, channels
and busses. As you add modules and connect them together in the Modules window,
they will automatically be added to the Signal Flow window. Blue lines show
audio signals and green lines show control signals. The layout of the Signal
Flow window can be easily changed (by clicking and dragging).
Interface improvements - The
Design Layout window has been improved so you can easily resize widgets by dragging
their corners and you can select multiple widgets for moving or cloning. This
makes it much faster to design an interface. It is now possible to change the
size of the Inteface so more controls can be displayed
on larger monitors.
Preset Files - All modules can
have their settings saved as Preset Files, which can be reloaded at a later
time. This also makes it easier to copy module settings between different systems.
Presets are saved or loaded using the Do... popup button which is on the top
row of each module's control window.
Main window - the overall layout
has been simplified. All the buttons for system and inteface
windows now appear together on the second row.
Modules window - this has a
new, simpler layout. A list of all modules in the system is now shown on the
left. There is easier navigation through channels using a scroll bar.
Note Sequencer - this has had
many changes including: a new Play Mode that allows manual triggering of sequencer
steps; interface improvements; individual parameters can be randomised; BPM
can be modulated directly using a control signal; there are 3 new control outputs
which can be sequenced alongside notes in each step; MIDI output for notes and
3 controller values.
Various new modules have been built:
Chorus (mono & stereo) -
creates a chorus effect on a mono audio signal using several modulated delay
lines.
Disintegrator (mono & stereo) - distorts the input by amplifying random half-cycles of the signal.
EQ Para (mono & stereo)
- a parametric filter which cuts or boosts certain frequencies
in an audio signal by a specified amount.
EQ Shelf (mono & stereo)
- shelving filter which cuts or boosts frequencies in an audio signal above
or below a cutoff frequency.
Env Curve - user-defined envelope
as control signal. The curve can be edited with a mouse.
Group Morph - this was designed
to simplify the control of modules with large numbers of parameters. It morphs
between 4 different groups of values of 15 control signals.
LFO Curve - Low Frequency Oscillator
with an editable waveform curve - using a mouse.
Perlin Noise - A Random Low Frequency
Oscillator based on 3 dimensional Perlin Noise - useful
for adding non-repetitive variation (i.e. "organic movement") to module
parameters.
Ping Pong (mono & stereo)
- creates a "ping-pong" delay that bounces sound from side to side.
Pluck - creates notes based
on a physical model of a plucked string.
Slope - measures the velocity
or acceleration of a control signal.
Spectral FX - This module analyzes
the frequency spectrum of a signal. Once analysed, the signal can then be transformed,
using up to 6 different spectral processes (from over 50 choices). In addition
a side chain input can be used to introduce a second audio signal for processing
in some of the FX.
Vosim
- outputs a synthesised waveform as a mono audio signal using a technique called
VOSIM - the name comes from VOice SIMulation.
Waveshaper (mono & stereo) - adds distortion to the input signal using a function
curve, which can be drawn by hand or generated automatically based on harmonics
and noise.
Wave Terrain - a synthesised
waveform based on a mathematical model of an object moving over a 3D terrain.
The orbit and the terrain can be changed, or even rewritten
using SuperCollider computer code.
X Distort (mono & stereo)
- simulates crossover distortion in class B and AB power amplifiers.
The following new modules allow use of SuperCollider code:
Animate Code - use SuperCollider
computer code to generate an animation which is displayed in a separate window.
Code Insert A (mono & stereo) - use SuperCollider computer code to process an audio signal.
Code Insert C - use SuperCollider
computer code to process a control signal.
Code Source A (mono & stereo) - use SuperCollider computer code to generate an audio
signal.
Code Source C - use SuperCollider
computer code to generate a control signal.
Other changes include:
Bit Crusher - this module has
new choices for processing.
Delays - up to 5 minutes of
delay time can be used for each delay, & MultiTap
Delay now has 8 delay taps for more complex patterns. Tap Tempo buttons have
been added to automatically calculate BPM values.
File Player (mono & stereo) - playback speed can be varied.
Filter - more choices for types
of Filter.
LFO - more choices for random
LFOs.
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Release 079 (December 2008)
Main changes in this release include:
Cleaner Audio - glitching could occasionally happen in certain modules (e.g.
Waveform module when using Pulse waveform, Filter, Delay, Flanger modules.). This glitching
is now filtered out.
Meters -
this new popup, on the top right of the window, allows you to select any module or bus in the system and display
its output(s) on a meter. Meters are on separate movable windows. Audio signals
are shown in loudness units (-90dB to 0dB); Control signals are shown directly
(range -1 to +1).
All
numbers displayed in the TX Modular screens are now scrolling numbers
- click on them and drag up/down, left/right to
change their values.
Window layout - various improvements
have been made to make the user interface clearer and easier to use.
Sync Start + Sync Stop
+ Stop All - these 3 buttons appear at the top
of the window. They allow Sequencers, File
Players and File Recorders to be started and stopped together. Each sequencer,
file player and recorder can be individually set to respond to Sync Start and
Sync Stop instructions. Stop All will ask all modules
to stop regardless of their Sync Start and Sync Stop settings.
Modules & Channels - are
now merged into one Modules window. Modules are displayed on the
left hand side with Channels on the right. If no module is selected, a list
of all modules currently in the system is shown.
The
channel number of first displayed channel is shown next to channel arrow keys.
This can be edited or scrolled as an alternative to using the arrow keys.
It
is now possible to change a channel's source (when a channel is in edit mode).
All
Modules & Channels now have a blank text line for users to add their own
notes.
Various new modules have been built:
Action Slider - this module
triggers up to 10 Actions when the value of a slider goes above a certain level
(the trigger threshold). Both the value and trigger threshold can be modulated.
Amp Sim (mono & stereo) - Ampllifier simulator. This
module adds distortion to the input signal, similar to the sound of vacuum-tube
amplifiers. It adds a roughness and warmth to the sound.
Analyser - this uses various
different tools to analyse a mono audio signal coming into it. It can be calibrated
for specific audio signals.
Bit Crusher (mono & stereo)
- this module distorts the input signal in by reducing the sample rate and bit
size.
DC Remove - this removes a DC
offset from an audio signal.
FM Synth - this module creates polyphonic synthesised
notes using multi-layer Frequency Modulation (FM) Synthesis.
OSC Control Out - this module
sends an OSC message to up to 10 different network addresses. The OSC messages have 2 arguments, the OSC string and the control value.
The control value can be modulated. This allows communication across a network
to other TX Modular systems running on other computers, or to any software (such
as Processing & Max/MSP) that can respond to OSC messages.
Pitch Follower - this follows
the pitch of a mono audio signal coming into it.
Quartz Player - this creates
a new window containing any Quartz Composer Composition which can be controlled
by the the TX Modular system. This can be used with
other modules to create interactive and/or automated audio-visual systems. (Quartz
Composer is a very powerful visual engine that comes
free with OS X.)
ReverbA, ReverbF, ReverbF
St, ReverbG - these are various new mono and stereo reverbs with
different sound characters.
Wave Synth Plus - this is an expanded version of the Wave Synth module which also includes a filter, 2 LFOs, an extra envelope and a modulation matrix.
Wii Ctrl Darwiin - this module outputs a control signal based on a selected
Wii or Nunchuck control,
including: acceleration, rotation, button and IR camera
data. To use this module, you will need the free software DarwiinRemote OSC.
Wii Ctrl OSC - this module outputs
a control signal based on a selected Wii or Nunchuck control, including: acceleration, rotation, button and IR camera data. To use this module, you will need
the software OSCulator.
Wii Trig Darwiin - this module triggers up to 10 Actions when a Wii button is pressed on or off. To use this module, you will
need the free software DarwiinRemote OSC.
Wii Trig OSC - this module triggers
up to 10 Actions when a Wii button is pressed on or
off. To use this module, you will need the software OSCulator.
Other changes include:
Note Sequencer - the interface
has been improved by creating a new Piano Roll window to edit notes as well
as any of the other parameters for each step - velocity, probablity, delay, etc.
Compander - there is now an option to use a side chain to control the compander.
Filter - several new filter
types have been added (including various Moog and TB303 emulations).
Table Synth - two new parameters - harmonic gap and scaling - give more flexibility
in defining wavetables .
Waveform - It is now possible
to use a note list instead of having a variable frequency. Using a note list
forces the frequency of the waveform to conform to
the notes of a selected scale/ mode/ chord in a chosen key - this is the same
as quantizing the frequency to a scale. The note list position can be modulated.
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Release 074 (December 2007)
Changes
include:
For
simplicity, all releases are now given a 3-digit number.
The
Stereo Loop Player can now play both mono and stereo loops.
The
Stereo Sample Player can now play both mono and stereo samples.
Various
new modules have been built:
Action Sequencer - this can
trigger all kinds of actions at specific times. Actions are commands or instructions
for any modules in the system, such as changing the settings of any module in
the system, triggering notes to play, starting and stopping other sequencers.
CyclOSC Colour - this module analyses
video data coming in from a video camera to check for the presence of a particular
target colour which you can set.
You
can also to define a zone which means that the target is looked for in only
certain parts of the video grid. This is useful for triggering events only when
a target colour enters a space. For example, by adding multiple modules you
can create colour-sensitive hot-zones in an interactive performance or installation
space.
CyclOSC Grey - this
module is similar to CyclOSC Colour except it looks for a shade of grey instead
of a colour.
EQ Graphic (audio insert) module
- adjust the EQ of an audio signal.
OSC Out - this module
sends an OSC message to up to 10 different network addresses. This allows communication
across a network to other TX Modular systems running on other computers, or
to any software (such as Processing & Max/MSP) that can respond to OSC messages.
OSC Trigger - this can trigger
up to 10 actions when OSC messages are received as long as the OSC message begins
with a string that matches the OSC string on the screen. OSC message arguments
can be passed to the actions.
OSC Controller - outputs a control signal from OpenSound
Control ('OSC') messages received. (This came out in a previous release, but
I forgot to mention it.)
QC Particles - this module creates a new window which contains a video screen
running a 3D particle system animation.
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Release 0.10.7 (April 2007)
StandAlone versions of the TX Modular for OS X Tiger and Panther have been built.
A
Help system has now been completed, with specific help buttons in every
module.
The
opening of saved systems is much faster now (+/-3 times as quick).
In
many modules there are now presets for things like envelope shapes or
frequency ranges.
Various
new modules have been built:
Audio Trigger (control source)
- triggers other modules when the amplitude (volume
level) of audio coming into it goes above a certain level.
Filter Synth (audio source) module - creates triggered filters (from
midi or sequencers) which use an audio side chain for input. Each filter is
velocity-sensitive and has its own envelope - like the wave synth module
Gain (audio insert) module -
adjust the gain (volume level) of an audio signal.
Granulator (audio source) module
- granulates any mono sample in the sample bank creating a stereo output.
Limiter (audio insert) module
- keeps an audio signal below its threshold.
MultiTap Delay (audio insert) module - for rhythmic delay effects.
Normalizer (audio insert) module - flattens the dynamics of an audio signal.
Notch Phaser (audio insert) module - uses notch filters to create
phasing effect.
Phaser (audio insert) module - uses
allpass delays to create phasing effect.
Sample and Hold (control insert)
module for triggered sampling the levels of a control source - this can also
function as a Gate and Hold unit for other effects .
StereoWidth (audio insert)
module - allows stereo width to be changed.
Transient (audio insert) module
- transient shaper, limits the slope of an audio signal.
Trigger Impulse (control source)
module - creates short trigger impulses, for example to trigger the new Sample
and Hold module. This can be sequenced or triggered via midi.
X-Fader (audio source) module
- mono and stereo versions allow modulatable
cross-fading between 2 audio signals.
Other changes include:
The
Sequencer has been renamed Note Sequencer and has had various
enhancements. On the new global tab, there are buttons to mute the output, to
use a random trigger (as opposed to a clock) based on the BPM, and an option
to randomise the step order every cycle. Sequencer steps can now be put into
up to 8 groups so that they can be controlled by widgets on the Front Interface
screens - this makes the sequencer dynamically controllable - good for gestural
control while playing.
The
File Player mono/stereo modules have been improved with better control
capability from interface screens.
The
Waveform module now has a stereo version with a beats frequency control
for wide stereo effects or for creating binaural beats.
The
Table Synth module now allows frequency modulation
through a modulation input (using the modulation options button in the Table
Synth window).
Modules
Ring Mod, Vocoder, & VocoderFX now have Dry-Wet Mix controls.
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Release 0.10.6 (Aug 2006)
As
well as fixing various bugs, this version has an more streamlined main window
and a new interface system where users can design
a front screen with objects that can control multiple modules. I haven't yet
had time to update the other help files with details of how to use the new interface
system. There are some examples which use the new interface, so have a look
at those to get an idea of how you could use it.
The
sequencer module is now much more powerful: It can now have up to 64
steps (used to be 16), there is a new delay option for making individual steps
late (as in swing patterns), you can now chain patterns together, and you can
apply all kinds of processes to patterns including generating new ones from
many types of scales.
A
new Table Synth module has been built which
allows you to create wavetables by mixing harmonics
in various proportions. You can have up to 8 wavetables
and smoothly mix between them.
______________________________________
Release 0.10.41 (Jan 2006)
This
version should display more easily on 12 inch powerbooks,
the main screen layout has been adjusted slightly.
The
Lag module has been renamed Smooth and now includes linear and exponential smoothing.
I
have decided to give out this release even though it has some known bugs (see
help file "Known Bugs"). So it very much a TEST system and
I will release new versions as and when bugs are solved.
______________________________________
Release 0.10.4 (Oct 2005)
The first release written in SuperCollider 3 for Mac
OS X.
_____________________________________
Release 0.9.3 (June 2004)
The first release written in SuperCollider 2 for Mac
OS 9.